THIRD SUSPECT ENTERS GULITY PLEA IN AUSTIN JEWELERS MURDER
(Travis Co. Jail)
A third suspect has been sentenced after pleading guilty to a 2018 murder-for-hire plot of an Austin jeweler.
Johnny Leon III of College Station has been sentenced to 35 years in prison, one week after Theodore Shaughnessy's son, Nicholas Shaughnessy, and Arieon Smith both plead guilty to charges related to the murder-for-hire. Nicholas Shaughnessy and Smith were also sentenced to 35 years.
Court records show Shaughnessy reportedly told Leon he would pay him $10,000 to murder his parents and Smith at least $5,000 per month for his participation.
Nicholas Shaughnessy's wife, Jaclyn Edison, was also charged with solicitation to commit capital murder. Her bond was eventually reduced and she was released from jail as officials said she was cooperating with the investigation and providing valuable information.
Leon will not be eligible for parole for nearly 20 years, until he is 44.